January 9-10, 2019. M3 meeting on Predictions and the Microbiome

Researchers rely on predictions in microbiome research in many different ways, yet more work is needed to develop reliable predictions for many microbiome applications. Researchers have developed techniques to mine the microbiome to reveal components that can be used to predict both environment conditions and disease states. For example, the composition of the microbiome has been used extensively to predict environmental conditions, from pH to particle export in the ocean, and diseases, from inflammatory bowel disease to cancer from existing datasets. Some studies have attempted to provide a truly predictive forecast of microbiome changes anticipated at a future state, with some success. These include forecasts of harmful algal blooms, the growth of harmful microorganisms given storage conditions in food safety and even flu strain spread in public health. However, understanding how to predict and control environmental and human microbiomes is a major challenge facing microbiome researchers. Throughout this meeting, we will highlight research topics that advance the use of predictive techniques in microbiome analysis and challenge participants to identify the biggest barriers to applying prediction in their field of study.